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they haven't always been this wacko in terms of player movement and general WTF-ness, right?

Well, no, at least not since Huizenga. But I think that's just because Loria hasn't really had the chance to do stuff this weird. Their previous MO was "OMG, we're gonna have to pay this guy more than $5 M, we need to trade him NOW" which was just considered standard "small market" behavior. This is really Loria's first chance to sell off "high-priced vets" so it's his first chance to do really weird stuff.

But, analogous to stadium public handouts, just because the Astros gave him Lee for free doesn't mean Lee has no value. It's like finding a baseball card worth $20 at somebody's garage sale -- not your fault they're selling it for a penny.

Consider this fascinating change-of-scenery exchange that the Miami Marlins and New York Mets kicked around, according to major league sources:

Outfielder Jason Bay to the Marlins for reliever Heath Bell and catcher John Buck.

What is fascinating about this trade? Bay hasn't been relevant for several years and Bell is on fumes. If this is the most fascinating trade that didn't happen then all the fascinating trades happened because this ain't much. Far more fascinating (as noted by several above) is the Marlin's desire to hold out for a fairly negligible amount of money rather than move Carlos Lee in a lost season.

Buck, who is batting .168 with a .582 OPS, would have fulfilled the Mets’ desire to add a catcher

And this strange entry:

A week or so before the non-waiver deadline, the Milwaukee Brewers thought they were close to trading Francisco Rodriguez to the San Francisco Giants.

Rodriguez had just taken over for John Axford as the Brewers’ closer. Righty Brad Penny had just had a bad outing for the Giants. And then the Brewers went to Philadelphia, and K-Rod crumbled.

The Giants quickly backed off.

Brad Penny is back? Indeed he is but this whole section has me wondering what any of this has to do with Frank Tanana. The Giants have mainly used Penny in garbage time or late in extra inning games (he's come in the 11th or 12th inning 3 times in 10 appearances. Penny's presence in the pen might be a sign the Giants need relief help but a couple of poor performances in garbage time surely didn't. And I assume it wasn't K-Rod for Penny.

The one interesting tidbit is that Carlos Lee reportedly also rejected a trade to the Yankees.

The Giants bullpen had been nails since the All Star Break until Friday. Santiago Casilla did blow a game on the 18th, but they won that by 5 runs. I assume Rosenthal is talking about the 22nd, but Penny was the 5th pitcher used in that game.